Mls 2008

It's not too long to go before this season of Major League Soccer - the top pro soccer league in Canada and the United States - kicks off...

...although, for two MLS teams, the season has started early!

MLS started up in the aftermath of the very successful 1994 World Cup, which did a lot to help reinvigorate interest in Northern America for the beautiful game - and has already come a long way in the past decade and a bit.

After starting off having to play in oversized American football stadia and try to find their footings, MLS has already managed to get half of the team into new soccer-specific stadia, such as Toyota Park in Chicago, BMO Field in Toronto and the Home Depot Center in California - home to David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy and also to Chivas USA, the sister club to the legendary CD Guadalajara of Mexico.

Indeed, this year will see a new stadium go live near the end of the year, out in Salt Lake City, while New York's Red Bull Park is also being constructed and should be ready by 2009 or so.

Although, it is in New Jersey, so one can argue over whether they really count as a New York team!

My two favoured sides are looking to do well this season:

Toronto FC made a big impact in the city, despite having a poor inaugural season last year (not helped by the use of their home stadium for the FIFA U-20 World Cup last summer) and look to improve their fortunes in '08.

Notably, as a Canadian side ineligible for qualification to CONCACAF tournaments through the MLS directly, Toronto will have their own mini-tournament to look forward to this summer, as they play against the Montréal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps (two teams from the lague just below MLS, both looking for eventual MLS berths of their own) - with the winner going on to represent Canada at the inaugural CONCACAF Champions' League near the end of the year!

Meanwhile, D.C. United have already gotten their season up and running - with their participation in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (the tournament which will be replaced by the new Champions' League later this year) already underway (they drew 1-1 in Kingston, Jamaica against Harbour View, won 5-0 at home in RFK, and will face Mexican giants Pachuca in early April) - and with back-to-back Supporters' Shields (the prize won by the team which tops the regular season, and one of the top tickets for qualification to international tourneys, alongside the MLS Cup won in the playoffs) they will be looking to equal, or better, this achievement in the quest for MLS silverware.

Plus, with a berth already secured in the new CONCACAF Champions' League to look forward to at the end of the season, DC have it all to play for.

So, is anyone else here looking forward to the new season - or maybe would like to consider getting in on the action?

i'll follow the season, but i have vested interested in any of the teams at the moment (though DC United would be my local team). once Seattle goes online next season they'll probably be my team though.

I'll be looking forward to TFC having a much better season this year. Our inaugural season was also one hampered by injuries to our top players. We've made some moves, and Danny Dichio is back in top form. Expect a big year from Maurice Edu, 2007 MLS rookie of the year. I expect us to compete for the playoffs.

Toronto FC has already made a huge impact on MLS, we were the second most successful team last season, financially (only LA Galaxy sold more merchandise, because of Beckham) and one year after being formed, we're hosting Westham for the 2008 all star game. I'm looking forward to catching a few games at BMO Field!

BMO Fields needs to get rid of that field turf and get real grass in there. I really believe half of the players ended up getting injured due to that alone. RSL is getting a new stadium w/ real grass so is NYRB.

Unfortunately Seattle isn't. Kind of lame if you ask me. I mean with all that greenary and rain up there, I'm sure growing grass should be no problem.

I hope Philly gets real grass when they join in 2010.

I just think that all teams should be playing on real grass that's all. Too bad is not that easy.

The problem with real grass at BMO is that the City of Toronto own the stadium, and use it year-round - at times of year when a real grass pitch would be much harder to maintain than the current surface is.

But yeah - maybe once TFC settle in more, they can push to have a real grass pitch laid down.